We know that Luke Jephcott will not be available....he came off early in the second half on Saturday with a thigh problem.....not serious we're told but more precautionary....he might be okay for the AFC Wimbledon league game next Saturday....I think there using QPR's ground until there new stadium becomes available.....Expect that Ryan Hardie will take his place....he wasn't available against his parent club last Saturday. Orient have started the season well....picked up three points away at Oldham with a 1-0 win on Saturday....they beat Brighton U21's in the week 3-2 at home and previously they finished their pre-season with a 2-1 win at FG Rovers. We expect Ryan Lowe will be taking this game seriously... with the perk of being at home in the third round against Spurs....now that would have brought a few extra fans along in normal circumstances....just our bad luck.
I don't think I'll be buying this one: can't do them all and bit unfair to foist it on the family of a weekday evening. It's a proper competition but it's the league that counts.
M Cooper, Watts, Aimson, Wootton, Moore, Camara, MacLeod, Mayor, G Cooper, Hardie, Telford. Subs Canavan, Nouble, Edwards, Grant, Lolos, Ruddy, Pursall.
Oh dear Oh dear. Two up and lose. I've been out this evening so have only just come home and seen the score and how the score was arrived at. Bollox bollox is about all I can say. I will have to look into the game a bit more but it does seem that we have thrown this one away.
Lots of comments about our defence on pasoti....especially the third goal and Wootton. Disappointing to be 2-0 up and then lose 3-2 to a Div 2 club. Some work needed on the defence....gave two away to QPR.....gave three away to Norwich U21's....and three away to Leyton O.
Just as well I've had one or two tonight as the reading of what happened is not good. A couple of glasses helps with the pain. Well that's my excuse anyway.
Looked at the highlights video....certainly not tight enough in defence....but must give Orient credit they never gave up....and seem to always think they had a chance against our defence.....Their manager gave credit to our keeper making some good saves.....and it would be rather hard to criticize Michael Cooper too much for the goals. At 2-0 up we should have been managing the game better than we did....from the short video it was hard to tell who were suppose to be the leaders out there to control the game more when Orient scored their first goal....from the short video I felt it came over that we were a little bit gung-ho about our approach.....we were the away team and should have been more tighter at the back.....and at 2-0 up we had that cushion which would have allowed us to be tighter at the back....we had scored our goals and just needed to defend them. I think Orient are a better team than AFC Wimbledon...so can we do it better on Saturday....oh dear I hope I haven't put the mockers on them by saying we should do better.
Clearly this was a poor result especially given a 2-0 lead at half time. It will be interesting to see how Ryan Lowe addresses it. Firstly I'll say that I'd prefer this hadn't happened but if it had to happen, better here than in the League. Secondly, we fans are a fickle bunch aren't we? A few days ago, Argyle fans castigated Bolton fans for crucifying Antoni Sarcevic after their defeat by FGR. Now a section of Argyle fans are crucifying Wootton. At half time, somebody said "it's like watching Brazil". Fans were exalting in the way Watts had got forward to score one and hit the bar. Now, we should have been tighter at the back. When Orient scored their first, a straw poll appeared asking "should we go on attacking or sit back?" Going on attacking got 94%. Cooper is being criticised for not getting back. Well he doesn't does he, he's rubbish at that. But if you want a deadly cross or a vicious free kick or a killer pass, he's your man. Bluntly, if he could defend he'd be in the Premier League. It remains to be seen what we can achieve this year but let's keep the faith.
Lowe's reaction includes "if I see another reaction like that in the second half, I'll have to go and get a whole new team". I wish he just say what he thinks.....
